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Thanks!

Thanks to a few of you fine folk who supplied me links and other information on my Honeywell VisionPro IAQ, I will be saving between $1.80 to $3.00 per day on the colder days here. My heat pump aux heat was coming on at 40 degrees outside temp. I've now set the balance point between heat pump and aux gas heat to 25 degrees outside temp. The system runs an average of 11.5 hours a day (more on the weekends) so my half day saving will be about $2.00 a day at the 40 degree mark. Less as the temp decreases but still better than running the gas furnace even if it is 90% efficient. That will put about $50 more in my pocket each month.

This morning it was 29 degrees outside and on the thermostat read "Heat" not "Aux Heat".

Gary, I shold have clarified that I have my system to operate basically 11.5 hours a day at comfort levels (70 degrees). That represents the time we are home and the time the system takes to "warm up". It is set lower (65) when we are gone or at work. I realize that if it is really cold outside that the HP will come on to maintain the minimum temperature even when we aren't here.

So you are correct, this is not a run time, although in colder temp it sure seems that it will be closer to run times.

What I do know for sure is that setting the balance points lower has allowed the heat pump and not the aux heat to run, except of course if the house can't heat up to the comfort level setting before the 75 minute time limit expires. Then the aux heat comes on then switches back to HP. Much easier to maintain the heat level with the HP than to bring it up to the level when outside temps are cold (26 degrees around here is considered really cold. In southeast Idaho really cold was 25 below. Matter of perspective. There my air conditioning was the basement. Heat was a wood stove.)

You should do really well with the new heat pump in your moderate winters in Washington State. Plus I think you have cheap electricity. The high-efficiency gas furnace will save gas $$ for sure.

Right now it's 35 outside in Baltimore and my new heat pump is putting out 93degree air just after the coil in the air handler. Last week, when it was 40 outside, the heat pump kicked out 99 degree air.

You should see similar operating temperatures. The balance point is a function of home construction/insulation, heat pump size, and other conditions.